The Dark Room

Tuesday, 23 November 2010

The Bearded Tits at Rainham Marshes have been showing well for a while now and today was no different with a pair just near the turnstile giving great views early this morning.I did see six in total but many more are still around the reserve.

Sunday, 21 November 2010

A dull Grey start was brighten up this morning at Rainham Marshes with great views of Black Redstart near the firing Butts and the Bearded Tits near the turnstile.The immature male Marsh Harrier was seen as were 2 Avocet,Curlew,168 Blackwit,Kestrel and 100 Golden Plover made a great mornings birding with Paul Hawkins.........

Sunday, 14 November 2010

So there we are traveling from Essex to Devon, three and a half hours to get there and still no news on whether it was showing. As we started to walk around Exminster Marshes Dave B's pager comes to life saying it was there. It showed really well with great scope views, eating berries and flying down to a ditch to have a drink and carrying on feeding, such a cracking looking bird. This was no tick and run..............we watched it for over an hour and then carried on a circuit around the reserve.

I made a big mistake and left my Digi Scope set up in the car (DOH)

YellowHammer

Mute Swan

Pied Wagtail

Then on to Labrador Bay to see Cirl Bunting and from the car park we watched a male on the Bramble and counted sixteen while we were there and a Great Northern Diver off shore.

Then we all made a quick stop to Budliegh Salterton to see the Glossy Ibis just before dark

Glossy Ibis

Other birds seen were 2 Peregrine,10 Buzzard,Black tailed godwit,Brent Geese and thanks to Db,Jono and Nick for a great days birding....

Sunday, 7 November 2010

I visited Rainham Marshes again this weekend to try and get more pictures of the SE Owl. It showed well again but a Little bit distant for the camera and always being harassed by one of the local crows (thats my excuse)for not getting photos of it.Other birds of note while I was there were 4 Corn Bunting,2 Bearded tit,2 Stonechat,Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. Also on site Dominic had a Curlew Sandpiper in with some Golden Plover.

Saturday, 6 November 2010

I started my walk this morning at 8.00am and headed straight towards the dragonfly pool where the Bearded tits have been showing well all week and as I got near to the reed beds I could hear them calling away. Five where seen by myself and showed really well also 3 Stonechats and a fly over Greensand. After getting some pictures I made my way back to the visitor centre and got told there had just been a S E Owl hunting, which gave really good views. Its just a shame I could not any good photos of it(Bugger).......

A couple of record shots of the Short Eared Owl hunting along the sea wall at 10.00amOne of many Lapwings going over the sea wall

Friday, 5 November 2010

Now that the clocks have gone back it seems that I am not doing much birding in the week so I have been making the most of a job I was working on outside on a roof and counting all the Ringed necked keets going over and I was really surprised by the numbers, they seemed to be everywhere in Aveley. So here in the Ingrebourne Valley this week a single Brambling was heard in the scrub behind the viewing area when I was out running on Wednesday night which was a running tick,No I don't keep a list for running but I can't remember seeing one before on a run. Well the weekend is finally here and I will be out birding Yippee. Hope to see some more of these at the weekend?